Sanctified Ones
The Sanctified Ones are an elite shugenja unit tasked to protect the Empress Iweko I. History and Purpose The Sanctified Ones were created during the Destroyer War after an unnerving encounter in the the innermost regions of the Imperial City. Children in the Garden, by Shawn Carman Iweko's Parley with Daigotsu During a walk in her garden with Togashi Satsu, Iweko I watched children play. Satsu recognised one of the children from the Winter Court that was held in Kyuden Bayushi. He spoke to the child, who named herself Oki, and when asked who her parents were, the little girl answered produly: "My father is Fu Leng". The girl was a pekkle called Daigotsu Oki, and soon after Daigotsu spoke via Oki, using his special powers over oni which allowed him to possess the pekkle's body. Daigotsu parleyed with Iweko, but his first half-hearted request as price for information on the Destroyers was declined. He had demanded the restoration of the Hantei line with him and Kanpeki as the last Hantei. Daigotsu sought to have another agent beside Daigotsu Susumu, the Imperial Advisor, in the Imperial City, which was his second request. Iweko allowed this under the condition that the agent remain under guard. Thus Taishuu, formerly known as Mirumoto Taishuu, became the ambassador of the Spider Clan. The Creation of the Sanctified Ones After the shocking encounter with Daigotsu, the commander of the Empress' Guard, Shiba Erena, created the Sanctified Ones. They were shugenja, priests of exceptional piety and purity chosen to oversee the duties of the Hidden Guard in lands beyond the Imperial holdings. Children in the Garden, by Shawn Carman They were each assigned the holdings of a Great Clan, with another assigned to the lands of the Minor Clan Alliance and one final priest granted dominion over the unaligned lands. Whenever the Empress wished to travel to or through these lands, the priest tasked with that region would travel ahead and ensure that all relevant holdings and estates were properly purified and worthy of the Empress' presence. It was relatively uncommon for the Hidden Guard to assign a priest to watch over the lands of his own clan, but when such an appointment occurred, it was a great honor, for it indicated that the Hidden Guard believed the priest was capable of putting aside his loyalty and bias to serve the Empress above his own family and clan. There were few greater honors bestowed by the Seppun family. Sanctified Ones Tournament text (Jade Hand) The positions were kept secret, otherwise their mere passage would indicate the Empress' itinerary. Scenes from the Empire, Part 17, Rusty Priske, Brian Yoon, & Shawn Carman Confirmed Members * Isawa Takashi, Phoenix Clan * Kitsu Katsuki, Lion Clan * M'rika, Spider Clan, disguised as ronin * Soshi Yoshihara, Scorpion Clan (Commander) M'rika Mistrusted The commander of the Sanctified Ones, Soshi Yoshihara, knew about M'rika's true allegiance to the Spider Clan and thus mistrusted her. She told the false ronin that she would be charged with protecting the Empress when she needed to leave the Imperial City. In truth, M'rika's charge was not the true Empress Iweko. Category:Imperial Titles